Wire clamp



June 9, 193 1 WIRE CLAMP Filed Jan. 30, 1950 c I? ,5 i

I l a 25 1 gwwntoz M. R. COATES 4 I Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATESHANLEY R. OOATES, OIB ALBANY, OREGON WIRE CLAMP Application filedJanuary 80, 1930. Serial No. 434,153-3.

The present invention relates to clam s and more particularly to clampsadapted or use in tapping electric wires of relatively high voltage.

6 An ob'ect of this invention is to provlde a clamp W ich may be usedfor tapping electrlc lines carrying relatively hi h voltage so as- Y toprovide a relativelysafe amp which will not subject the linesman toinjury from contact with the high voltage carried by the line.

Another objectof this invention is to provide a clamping member ofrelatively slm le construction which can be placed on the line quicklyand which will be firmly and securely held in the desired position. v

A further object of'this invention isvto provide a clamp which may besecurely positioned on the line with onl one operation necessary forsecuring the 0 am in position thereby simplifying the metho ofsecuringthe clamp and decreasing the cost of the placement of the device on theline.

A still further object of this invention 1s to provide in a clamp ofthis character means for securely fastening an electric line thereto.The above and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill in part be described in and in part be understood from thefollowing detailed description of the referred embodiment, the samebeing i ustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 isalongitudinal section part1 in elevation of a device constructed accoring to this invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed top plan view of the device; and A I Figure 3 isa side elevation partly in section of a modification of this invention.v

Referring to the drawings'wherein like numerals of reference designatecorrespond-. ing parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10designates one of. the 'awmem'- bers of a'clamp which is provideadjacent the outer end portion thereof with a transverse recess 11- forreceiving an electric line. The fixed jaw member 10 is also providedwith an elongated slot 12 therethrough s aced downwardly from the outerend portion for loosely receiving a bolt member 13.

The fixed jaw member 10 is'provided on the inner face thereof with atransverse recess 14.

A movable jaw or clamping member 15 is provided with a complementaryline receiving recess 16 which registers with the recess -3 11 in thefixed jaw member and is provided with a threaded aperture 17 forthreadably receiving the bolt member 13. The movable jaw member 15 isprovided with an inwardly extending flange 18 which is adapted to looseoly engage in said transverse recess 14 so thatwhen the movable jawmember 15 is moved outwardly from the fixed jaw member, the flange 18will provide a fulcrum for the m0v-' able jaw'member. I

The slot 12 is preferably of tapering construction as at 19 and iselongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the fixed jaw 10so that when the movable jaw member 15 is forced outwardly, the bolt 13may coactive- 7o ly swing upwardly within the slot.

The olt member 13 is provided with an annular groove or recess 20 spacedoutwardly from the head of the bolt, and a ring mem-, ber' 21 is adaptedto seat in said annular 75 groove.

The ring member 21 is preferably spaced outwardly from the inner face ofthe fixed aw member 10 andis adapted to prevent the bolt 13 from beingwithdrawn from the fixed Q0 aw member 10 so that when the bolt member 13is turned so as to move the movable jaw member outwardly the ring member21 will, engage against the inner face of the fixed jaw member andthereby loosely hold the bolt 35 member 13 within the slot 12.

In the assembling of this device,'the bolt is first placed into t eelongated opening 12 the bolt having the ring member 20 removetherefrom. -After the bolt 13 is placed in the 00 opening 12, the-ring21 is slipped over the t readed port1on of -the bolt 13 and pushedinwardly until it engages in the groove 20. The bolt 13 is then swivellymounted in the fixed jaw member lO; The bolt may be threaded so into themovable jaw member 15.and inclined upwardly a slight degree so that theflange 18 will'pass over the upper edge of the transverse groove 14. Itwill be obvious that the wldth'ofthe elongated slot 12 is less than them diameter of the ring 21 so that when the ring 21 is mounted on thebolt 13, the bolt 13 cannot be withdrawn from the fixed jaw member 10.

The fixed jaw member 10 is provided adj acent the lower end portionthereof with a longitudinally disposed opening 22 for loosely receivingone end of an electric line or the like, and a plurality of bolt orscrew members 23 are threadably mounted in the fixed jaw member 10 andextend into the annular opening 22 so as to securely hold the line onthe fixed clamping member 10.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention the fixed aw member 10 andthe movable jaw member 15 are preferably constructed of aluminum or ofsome other electric conducting metal, and where aluminum is used in theconstruction of this device, an insert 24; is cast integrally with. thefixed clamping member 10. The insert 24 may be of metal of differentcomposition than the fixed clamp 10 and preferably of brass or copper soas to provide a firm or solid set screw holding member inasmuch as ithas been found that aluminum is of substantially brittle constructionand a thread cannot be so readily cut into aluminum as in other metal,particularly where the bolt or set screw is tightened to a considerabledegree.

The clamping member 15 is also adapted to have a metallic member 25 castintegrally therewith, the member 25 being of different composition thanthe movable clamping member 15 and preferably of brass or coppercomposition so that a suitable thread may be cut therethrough forthreadably receiving the bolt member 13.

It is, of course. understood that the fixed clamping member 10 and themovable jaw member 15 may be constructed of brass or copper in whichcase the plug member 24 and the annular ring 25 will be cast integrallywith the clamping members. When this clamp is made of brass or copperthe screws 23 may be omitted if desired and the wire soldered directlyinto the longitudinal annular opening 22. The movable jaw member 15 isalso provided with a pair of inwardly extending flanges or ears 26 whichare preferably cast integrally with ,themovable jaw member and areadapted to loosely en age about the opposite side portions of the fixedclamping member 10 so as to prevent lateral movement of the movable jawmember with respect to the fixed jaw member.

A washer 27 may be interposed between the outer face of the fixed jawmember 10 and the head of the bolt 13 so that the head of the bolt 13will not injure the outer face of the fixed jaw member.

In the use of this device, the wire to be connected to the live line isinserted in the longitudinal annular opening 22 and the set screws 22tightened down, then the bolt 13 is backed out until it has forced themovable jaw member 15 to the open position. The

clamp is grasped with an insulated stick made for handling live wiresand the clamp is placed on the line to be tapped and an insulated socketwrench is used to tighten the bolt 13 which draws the movable jaw member15 down on the wire firmly in recesses 11 and 16. When it is desired torelease the clamp from the line it is only necessary to loosen the boltmember 13 whereupon the annular ring 21 willprevent the bolt from beingwithdrawn from the fixed jaw member and at the same time the movable jawmember 15 will be forced outwardly thereby releasing the line from thegrooves 11 and 16.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that a relatively simple hot stickclamp has been provided which may be fastened or released by oneoperation, namely, the turning of the bolt member 13.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the abovespecifically described embodiment of the invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restrictedonly by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is r 1. A clamp of the character described comprising afixed j aw member having a tapering slot therethrough elongated in thedirection of the longitudinal axis thereof, said jaw member also havinga transverse groove spaced downwardly from said slot, a movable jawmember having a threaded opening therethrough, a bolt loosely engagingsaid fixed jaw member in said elongated slot, said bolt threadedlyengaging said movable jaw member, said movable jaw member having adownwardly extending transverse flange loosely engaging said transversegroove in said fixed jaw member, a pair of inwardly extending flangessecured to said movable jaw member and adapted to loosely engage theopposite side portions of said fixed jaw member, sa1d bolthaving anannular groove spaced intermediate the ends thereof, and a ring engagingin said annular groove whereby to prevent removal of the bolt from thefixed j aw member.

A clamp of the character described comprising a fixed jaw member havingan elongated tapering slot therethrough spaced downwardly from the upperend thereof, a movable jaw member having a threaded aperturetherethrough, a bolt loosely engaging sa1d fixed jaw member and adaptedto threadably engage said movable'j aw member, sa1d movable jaw memberhaving a pair of downwardly extending flanges on the opposite sideportions thereof whereby to loosely engage the opposite side portions ofsaid fixed aw member and a threaded apertured member cast integrallywith said jaw memher, said threaded member bein of different compositionthan the jaw mem r, an apertured plug integrally cast with said fixedjaw member, said plug member having a plurality of threadedopeningstherethrough, and a plurality of set screws threadably engagingsaid plug in said hold a wire in sai In testimony whereof I hereuntoaflix my signature.

- MANLEY R. COATES.

afertures whereby to firmly plug.

